


One Night at The Black Penny

by insomniabug



Category: Rookie Blue
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-10
Updated: 2012-09-10
Packaged: 2017-11-13 22:56:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/508623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insomniabug/pseuds/insomniabug
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One night told through different points of view.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

* * *

**DIVISION 15  
\- 12:03 AM -**

* * *

It's the end of another long day and Traci is relieved that her next shift isn't for another two days. After almost sixteen hours in a stuffy starchy uniform, the feeling of well-worn jeans and a soft cardigan sweater on her skin is heaven. All she wants to do now is go home, kiss her (hopefully already sleeping) son, and then slip into a hot bath. Maybe even have a glass of wine or two.

A beep interrupts her daydreaming. She realizes it's coming from her cellphone inside her locker.

"Crap." She mutters, flipping open her phone. She forgot she promised Jerry they'd go out for drinks after work. Opening the new text message, she reads that he's waiting for her in his office so they could go to the Penny together. Searching her feelings, she decides her bath will have to wait. While her desire to reschedule their date is strong, her desire to see him is even stronger. So gathering up the last of her things, Traci leaves the locker room in search of her boyfriend.

When she reaches his office, Jerry is standing behind his desk still reading a case file. Her energy level replenishing at the sight of him, she drops her bag and crosses her arms. "Slowly put the file down." She says, the playfulness in her eyes a direct contrast to the commanding tone of her voice.

Jerry looks up and raises an eyebrow, his lips quivering from holding in a smile. "Will handcuffs be involved if I don't?"

Lowering her arms, Traci smiles as she slowly walks towards him, her hips softly swaying side to side. "Oh, it's a definite possibility."

At this point, Traci is standing before him and pulls the file out of his hands. Without breaking eye contact, she drops the file on his desk. The grin he's trying to suppress momentarily escapes before he composes himself. "You sure you're up to it? I mean, I am pretty  _hard_  to take down." She rolls her eyes at his immature play on words but doesn't stop him when he places his hands on her hips.

"You might have to use excessive force." He continues, a lustful look in his eyes when she wraps his tie around her right hand, tugging slightly.

"Well, how can I say no to a little police brutality?" She replies, pulling his tie. Their lips meet and she sinks into the kiss with a sigh. His lips move against hers with a familiar rhythm and she feels her fatigue melt away. His fingers deftly slide beneath her sweater's hemline, his touch a branding iron against her skin.

Despite his groaning, and the delicious need to set up shop on his lips, she pulls away. The kiss is briefer than she'd like, but they are still in the station. While their relationship isn't exactly a secret, she isn't comfortable with public displays of affection in the workplace...at least not where people can easily see them. She almost blushes at the thought of their secret rendezvous in (and around) the station. Jerry caresses her cheek with the pad of his thumb, the affection in his gaze making her toes curl.

"You ready to go?" she asks him, disentangling herself from his embrace. She goes to pick up her bag from the floor and stands in the open doorway.

"Yeah." Jerry clears off some more files from his desk before following after her. He switches the lights off and locks the door behind them. Reaching out, he takes the bag from her and Traci feels her heart skip when he winks at her. She makes herself wait until they're entering the parking lot before sliding an arm around his waist, his own arm sliding around her shoulders and pulling her close. She smiles when he presses a kiss to her temple.

* * *

  
**THE BLACK PENNY  
** **\- 12:34 AM -**

* * *

The bar is crowded by the time Chris and Dov finally show up. They both get a single beer and find a small table by the back wall. It isn't as close to the bartender as they would have liked, but considering how crowded the bar is, they were lucky enough to find this spot in the first place. Normally they would have parked themselves at Traci's table, which was super close to the bartender, but Jerry is with her and they are sending some major couple vibes.

When it's time for refills, Dov's  _rock_  loses to Chris'  _paper_  and he walks off with a sour face. Pushing through the crowd, Dov finally makes his way to the bar and places his order. Leaning with his back against the counter, Dov reaches into his pocket for his cell phone and shoots off a quick text to his girlfriend, who is working a double shift. Scrolling down the rest of his contact list, his finger pauses on Gail's name. Not for the first time does he regret his case of verbal diarrhea that night. He never wanted to be _that guy_  and almost destroyed his friendship with Chris over someone he isn't even sure he likes all that much. Okay so Gail isn't half bad, but they would never have spent time together if it wasn't for Chris. After a brief inner debate, he decides against sending her a text invite. The mood between him and Chris was only just getting back to normal and he kind of wants it to be a boy's night out tonight.

Walking back towards his table with a fresh pitcher of beer, Dov hears a familiar laugh and turns his head. He almost drops the pitcher when he sees Gail sitting in one of the side booths with Luke Callaghan _. Detective_  Luke Callaghan who is kind of their boss. These two are the least likely people to be seen together and yet there they are, sitting in a booth together. Dov watches as Callaghan mops up a spill on the table and completely misses the way Gail is looking at him. It reminds Dov of the way she used to look at Chris...and it's freaking him out.

Dov continues walking, almost running, back to his table, hoping that he wasn't caught staring at the two of them. The closer he gets to Chris, the more he decides he isn't going to mention it. The guy has been through enough. It's a decision that ends up being for nothing because when he finally does reach their table, Chris has already noticed the odd couple in the booth.

With a quick glance to Dov, Chris turns back to look at Gail. "Tell me you're seeing what I'm seeing." Chris' face is doing that thing where he looks like he's trying to figure out quantum mechanics.

"Yeah, I saw them when I was coming back from the bar." He says carefully, still waiting for Chris to freak out.

"Are they sitting together?" Chris unnecessarily asks. Dov notices he tends to do that when he's uncomfortable.

"Looks like." He simply replies, pouring some fresh beer into their cups.

Out of nowhere, Chris beings to chuckle nervously. Dov smiles back just as nervously.

"I'm sure they're just talking about a case." Chris says and Dov really hopes he's right. The alternative being too crazy to consider.

"Oh, yeah. Definitely. Or maybe he's talking to her about her behavior today." Dov points out.

"Yeah, she was out of line wasn't she?"

"I swear when she mentioned Andy and Swarek, I thought he was gonna whip out his sidearm." Dov laughs.

Chris' face turns thoughtful again. "She  _was_  kinda of cruel. I wonder what he did to piss her off so much."

Dov snorts, quickly swallowing his beer so he doesn't choke. "Are you kidding? Gail doesn't  _need_  a reason to be cruel. It's like, encoded in her DNA or something. The tears of humankind are how she stays alive man."

Chris shakes his head and gives him a reproachful glance. "That's not true Dov. She might be a little rude but she's never cruel."

"Yeah,  _okay_  Chris." Dov chuckles.

Their conversation is interrupted when a woman accidentally spills her drink all over Chris' back, causing Dov to crack up. The woman, a busty brunette in a tight blue dress, starts giggling at the sound of Dov's laughter. Reaching for some napkins on the table, she starts patting Chris' back.

"I'm so, so sorry." Chris smiles politely and turns around to face her. "It's okay. Accidents happen." He assures her, looking adorably clueless as he tries to pat his own back dry.

"Well,  _aren't_  you a cute one. I'm Annie." She says with a predatory gleam in her eyes, her hands resting a little too long on his back.

Dov rolls his eyes and turns away. The pretty ones always go for Chris, even when he's not even trying. Dov knows he has a girlfriend, a really hot girlfriend who dismantles bombs for a living, but it would still be nice to be the one noticed from time to time.

Dov finds his gaze aimed at Gail again but a movement beneath her table makes his head snap back in shock. Still occupied with Annie, he notices Chris didn't see what he just saw.

Thankful, Dov will never complain about Chris' chick superpowers again.

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

Jerry leaves Traci for a moment to get drinks - a rum and coke for her, a beer for him.

She takes the opportunity to look around the bar, her best friend glaringly absent. Andy texted her earlier saying she was hanging out at Sam's house. Traci snorted to herself when she read it and knew she would be lucky if she ever saw her friend again. Ever since Andy went on suspension a few weeks ago, she's hardly seen her. She's gonna have to have a talk with Sam about giving her girl some time off.

Chris is sitting alone as he waits for Dov, who is standing at the bar with his cell phone in hand. Noelle is sitting at a table by the door with Frank, an obviously non-alcoholic drink placed before the female officer. While they haven't exactly revealed the good news to anyone, Traci knows when a woman in pregnant. She wonders if anyone else has connected the dots yet.

Then there's Gail sitting with Luke _.  
_

The conversation she had with Gail earlier that morning in the locker room suddenly pops into her mind. Even though she was kinda prepared for this, seeing the result of that conversation in the flesh is still unnerving. She doesn't know  _what_  she was expecting but she knows it wasn't  _this_. She didn't expect them to look so... _intense_  together. Traci takes a quick look around the bar, checking to see if anyone else has noticed the pair.

Desperately anxious to unload some gossip, she waits impatiently for Jerry to return. The knowing smile on his face when he nears their table tells her he knows what she wants. He's become an honorary girlfriend ever since Andy started her sex sabbatical.

"Okay," he says with a sigh, "who are we talking about now?"

"Gail."

"Wow, you wanna be more specific?" He smirks and she gives him a look. "Okay, what about Gail?"

"She's sitting in one of the booths with Callaghan -  _don't look now_!" She smacks him when he ignores her.

Trying to be discreet, he turns his head while bringing his drink to his lips. When the cup in his hand halts in midair, she knows he's seen them.

"What's she doing with Luke?" He looks as confused as she felt this morning.

"They came here together." She says in a lowered voice even though no one they know is near enough to hear her.

Jerry raises an eyebrow. "What?"

"Yeah. I offered Gail a ride here after our shift but she said she didn't need one - that Luke was going to give her ride." She leans onto her hand, not so discreetly staring at the two blondes. "I'm actually surprised he did." She wonders out loud.

"Why do you say that?" Jerry frowns, finally taking a sip of his beer, grimacing when he finds it's warm.

Her eyes widen in remembrance. " _Oh right_! You weren't in Parade this morning. Gail was being a  _major_ bitch to him. At one point she even mentioned Sam and Andy being together and you _know_  that's Luke's hot button."

Jerry forces more warm beer down his throat as he casually turns his head to the booth where Luke and Gail are sitting. After a few seconds, she points her eyes in their direction as well. The booths are usually used by old retired coppers or couples who want a little privacy but these two look as far from a couple as possible. Actually, Traci thinks, they look  _exactly_  like a couple. A couple that's in the middle of a fight.

Jerry looks back at her with pity on his face. "Poor bastard...looks like he wants to run for the exit."

"Yeah." Traci agrees, her attention momentarily grabbed by Dov when he practically runs by her table. Well, that's one person who has noticed.

When Traci takes another quick glance back at the booth, Luke is glaring at Gail and speaking extremely low. He looks ready to burst into flames. Gail merely looks amused and Traci can tell it's getting on Luke's nerves. She  _does_  have that effect on people.

Reclaiming her attention, Jerry brings her hand up to his mouth and places a small kiss on her palm. When his head comes back up, there's a mischievous glint in his eyes. He's obviously over the spectacle in the booth. "So, my place or yours?"

Traci smiles at his hopeful face, shaking her head. "Neither, I've got Leo tonight." She laughs when he pouts. "But I'm sure my mother can handle him for another hour."

Jerry tilts her chin towards him and places a gentle kiss on her lips. She applies a tiny bit of pressure before pulling back. One of her rules is to never start something they can't finish and she is not going to have sex with him in the bathroom...at least not tonight anyway.

While Jerry is great with the distractions, she can't help herself from looking back at Luke and Gail. That's when a movement under their table startles her and she immediately turns back to her boyfriend.

Jerry notices the change in her demeanor. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She then smiles a bit too wide for it to be normal. "I'm just tired. Long shift today."

Jerry opens his mouth to respond when his eyes trail away. He's looking at Luke and Gail again...and by the shocked stares around her, so is everyone else. Something big is happening and the two blondes are gaining the attention of every pair of eyes in the room, Traci's included.

The entire bar quiets for a moment before buzzing again - this time with gossip.

* * *

  
**THE BLACK PENNY**  
(NOW KNOWN AS THE TWILIGHT ZONE)

* * *

Dov almost wants to pinch himself and check if he's dreaming. While he admits that dreaming about  _this_ would be weird, at least it would make more sense then if what just happened  _actually_  happened.

Turning to look at his best friend, Dov sees Chris is no longer occupied with cleaning his shirt. Not happy with being ignored, Annie pouts and walks away. Dov mourns her departure if only because he doesn't want to be alone with Chris right now. He always ends up putting his foot in his mouth during awkward situations.

"Chris?" He asks when the silence is becoming too much for him.

"Yeah?" Chris' voice comes out strained.

"I don't think they're discussing a case." Dov mentally smacks himself. Foot, say hello to mouth.

Chris suddenly glares at him. " _You think_?" Dov is a bit alarmed to see such a hostile look on his best friend's usually docile face. He takes a big gulp of his beer and looks away, wishing the floor would just swallow him whole.

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

Not believing her eyes, Traci turns her head to look at Dov and Chris. By the looks of disbelief on their faces, she knows that what just happened was not a figment of her imagination.

"Oh boy." Jerry whistles.

'Oh boy is right,' she thinks.

What the hell is she gonna she tell Andy?

* * *

 **SAM'S BEDROOM**  
(NOW KNOWN AS SUSPENSION SEX CENTRAL)  
\- 12:59 AM -

* * *

"Sam."

He feels himself being poked rather violently in the side.

" _Sam!_ "

Mumbling, he brushes the offending hand away.

"Sam! You awake?" Sam groans into his pillow. She's  _got_  to be joking.

"McNally, you see how my eyes are shut? It means I'm sleeping. So can you please shut it?" He complains without opening his eyes.

"Well since you're talking to me now, you're obviously awake." Andy quickly shoots back. Sam sighs to himself. Sometimes he wonders what he's gotten himself into. Opening his eyes, Sam's catches her gaze...and he no longer wonders he's gotten himself into.

Wearing nothing but a sheet, hair all mused up from sleep and  _other activities,_ she looks like the most perfect thing he's ever seen. What's  _really_   _perfect_  is how comfortable she looks while laying half naked in his bed. He involuntarily licks his lips when he notices the sheet bunched up, low around her waist, leaving certain areas uncovered. Almost as if it's got a mind of it's own, his hand slides across the sheeted valley between their bodies and up over her right breast, gently rubbing circles over the nipple with his palm.

"Sam!" His eyes snap back to her face as she slaps his hand away. "Eyes up here Officer." She teases, definitely aware of where his mind was going. She rolls her eyes when he winks at her.

"What is  _so important_  that you had to wake me up at," Sam glances at his alarm clock, " _one in the morning_  to tell me?"

"This." She opens her hand and he sees her cell phone cradled in her palm. There's such a serious look on her face that he laughs.

"That is a phone," he says slowly. "It's this new age gadget that people use to communicate with each other. I own one myself." The dimples now making a full fledged appearance on his cheeks.

"I'm surprised you know what it is considering how  _old_  you are." Andy gives him a pout with attitude.

"Hey, I'm  _not_  that old!"

"You sure about that  _Mr. AARP_?" She says with a quirk of an eyebrow. Sam's smile drops at the reminder.

The fifth morning after their suspension began, Andy decided to get his mail while he was in the shower. When he emerged with only a towel wrapped around his waist, he heard a deep bellied laugh come from his bedroom. Upon reaching his room, he was greeted with the sight of his former-rookie-turned-lover doubled over in laughter, an information packet for "old people" health insurance clutched to her chest.

"I told you it was a mistake. I'm not even forty. There is no way I qualify for  _that_." He spits the last word out like it's a curse.

Andy reaches over and fingers a piece of his slightly greying hair. "Oh really? I don't think your hair got the memo." She laughs when it's his turn to swat her hand away. "Stop distracting me!" She says, shoving her phone in his face again. "Something huge happened at the Penny tonight. Something to do with Gail-"

"Is she missing?" He cuts her off.

"No."

"Is she dying?"

"No."

"Then it can wait til morning." Sam drapes an arm over his face, hoping to put an end to the conversation. Andy doesn't take the hint.

"Gail was at the Penny with a guy who wasn't Chris."

Sam's head snaps up, a look of annoyance on his face as he looks down at her. "Gossip? You woke me up for  _gossip_?" Andy frowns at him, the phone in her hand beeping with a new message from Traci. Her finger hovers over a button. "Do you wanna hear it or not?"

They enter into a brief staring contest before Sam rolls his eyes and falls back into bed. "Go ahead." Andy smiles in victory, knowing that despite all evidence to the contrary, Sam  _loves_  gossip.

Watching her face as she reads the new message, Sam gets a bad feeling in his gut when her cheerful smile fades.

"McNally?" He asks when she she's been quiet for a full minute. "What is it?"

Andy comes out of her trance and looks at him. "It's Luke. The guy Gail's with is Luke." She hands Sam her cell phone so he can read it for himself. Her phone beeps again in his hands. Another new message. He opens it automatically.

"Yeah...and that's not all." He says, handing her back the phone, a cautious expression on his face.

After reading the message once...twice...five times, Andy closes the phone. They sit in silence, each absorbing the unbelievable news they just received.

On one hand, Sam's relieved the guy is turning his attention onto someone who isn't Andy. But on the other hand, Sam is also afraid of Andy's reaction - hoping she doesn't go into a jealously spiral and start doubting her decision to be with him.

"Hey," he says after the silence becomes too much, "what's going on in that head of yours?" He's terrified of the truth but he knows that if he is going to do this, really be with her for the long haul, he is going to have to learn to communicate with her. Something he's always shied away from in his past relationships. Andy doesn't look at him at first, biting her bottom lip in thought. He knows she does that when trying to sort out her feelings. Sam tries hard to keep a blank face because he wants her to focus on her own feelings, but she must have seen the look of worry in his eyes. A weirdly peaceful smile appears on her face.

"Sam, I'm okay." She reaches out and presses a finger against his creased brow. "Stop frowning, you're gonna give yourself more wrinkles."

"They're called laugh lines." He playfully corrects her, glad for the change in mood.

Andy rolls her eyes. "About. Aboot. Same thing." Sam laughs. She's just so  _Canadian_  sometimes.

Her face turns serious again, pressing her palm against his cheek. "Look Sam. Luke cheating on me is always gonna hurt, but I'm over it. I'm over  _him_. I've moved on and he should to."

Without Sam saying a word, Andy must have sensed the deeper issue, his fear of losing her, and so she moves closer towards him. Sam automatically wraps his arms around her, pulling her as close to his body as possible. Andy angles her face up to look into his eyes.

"And even if he is being a dick and just using Gail to make me jealous or to get back at me, it doesn't change anything. I'm not going anywhere." Sam brushes the tip of his nose against hers, closes his eyes and exhales deeply.

Andy suddenly bursts into giggles and he pulls back a little worried, wondering if she's lost it.

"What's so funny?" His dimples are exchanged for a look of confusion.

Resting her hands on his chest, she says "You know I almost feel bad for him. Gail's kind of a tease."

Sam smirks, knowing the next words are gonna get him in trouble. "Takes one to know one."

Andy gasps and slaps him on the chest. "You did _not_  just say that!" She moves to get off the bed but his hold on her is strong. He rolls on top of her, his weight pinning her down to the mattress. Instinctively, her legs wrap around his waist. Andy's escape attempts cease when she feels his hands suddenly roam down her legs and stop on her ass. He gives it a squeeze.

Andy pouts at him, this time a hungry look in her eyes. "Dirty move Officer."

Sam knows she wants to be kissed when her chin tilts upward. Their lips are a breath away when he suddenly pulls back.

"You sure you're okay?" Sam hates second guessing himself but he needs to be sure. Thankfully Andy doesn't seem bothered reassuring him.

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here." She reaches up and places a kiss on his neck. "I'm exactly where I want to be."

Hearing and feeling the truth in her words, Sam finally allows himself to relax. The removal of the bed sheet also helps. The sensation of her body against his always serves as the perfect distraction. Andy's hands grip his shoulders and he moans when she nibbles his left earlobe, one of her feet rubbing his calf. Suddenly, he finds himself on his back, Andy straddling him with a victorious smile on her face. She kisses him firmly on the mouth, softly biting his lower lip as she pulls away.

Reaching towards the shelf over the bed for a condom, her breath falters when she feels his mouth on her breast. She drops the small foil packet.

" _Sam_." She scolds, reaching for a new one when his tongue swirls around her nipple. She drops that one too.

Hating to do it, she pulls away from him, the movement causing a soft pop to sound when his lips suddenly find themselves alone. He smirks up at her, watching as she rips the packet open with her teeth. A joke dies on his lips as she touches him intimately. A breath catches in his throat when he feels her hand on his erection, rolling the condom on and guiding him into position. Guiding him to the only home he's known for the past couple weeks.

"And this is exactly where I want  _you_  to be." Andy's voice comes out in a breathless whisper as her eyes shut slowly, her body sinking down until he is completely inside her. He hisses in pain when her nails dig into his chest, while his hips try to match the tortuously slow rhythm she's creating.

_Luke and Gail who?_

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part deux

**DIVISION 15  
\- 11:57 PM -**

* * *

______can't remember when /_ _my senses were so bent /___ tell me you're impressed / with my obsessiveness_ _ _

* * *

"Working hard or hardly working?" Luke looks up and sees Jerry standing in the doorway, a smirk on his face as he gestures towards the mountain of files on the desk.

"I've got a lot of paperwork to catch up on." Luke replies simply, looking back down at the open file in his lap. He doesn't notice the worried look Jerry is sending his way.

"You know, I don't think I've seen you leave this room all day." Jerry's voice is laced with concern while his fingers rapidly construct a text message on his phone. Luke shrugs, his eyes still looking over a piece of paper in his hand.

"Really? I hadn't noticed." He says tediously, hoping Jerry will take the hint and leave, which thankfully he does, although Luke suspects it has something to do with the message he just sent (most likely to Nash.)

"Go home Luke. This will all still be here tomorrow." Jerry says and walks across the hall into his own office.

Relieved to find himself alone again, Luke closes the file on his lap with a dejected sigh. He runs a hand over his face, the strain in his eyes foreshadowing a rapidly approaching migraine. He knows Jerry's suggestion is a good one. Hell, if it had been any other day, he'd already be sleeping in his own bed by now. There's just one problem - he can't go home. Not when he's terrified of what might be waiting for him outside the safety of his office.

A couple seconds later, Luke hears Jerry leaving his office with Nash. Discreetly peeking through his blinds, feeling like one of the perverts he arrests, Luke watches as they exit the building. Even without any physical contact, he can see how much they care about each other, sees how happy they are together, and he hates how much he envies them. They know how they feel about each other and they don't play any games.

He on the other hand, has Gail Peck...and honestly, he's not even sure about that anymore.

Officially the most infuriating person he's ever known, which is impressive considering the amount of criminals he deals with on a regular basis, she's also the reason behind his self-imposed isolation for the past twelve hours. Everything had been good between them -  _great_  even - until this morning.

Before today they were two single consenting adults both benefiting from a very enjoyable and very sexual arrangement. No questions asked. No complications. Just a simple text message or phone call stating the time and the place. There have been the occasional field trips (all on her list of fantasy sex locations) but usually those consisted of him parking his car in a secluded area and Gail hopping into action seconds after he's put the brakes on. Once she didn't even wait until then, almost causing an accident when he rolled through a stop sign. He never felt more embarrassed than when he was pulled over by a cop (thankfully one he didn't know) and awkwardly fumbled through an explanation, a devilish smirk on Gail's face as she discreetly wiped her mouth clean with her fingers. (He spent the remainder of that night wiping that smirk of her face.)

All in all, it was an arrangement that had been working just fine until she decided to screw it all up.

From the moment he saw her walking out of the locker room with Nash this morning, there was something different about her. There were no flirtatious smiles when no one was looking. No seductive texts during Parade that made him stumble mid-sentence. Instead, he was met with a brief glance and a cold shoulder. Then while he was speaking about his latest case, she continued to make smart-ass comment after smart-ass comment, deliberately making him look ridiculous and incompetent in front of everyone. Not to mention her blatant disregard of their one and only rule -  _never_  mention past lovers. A particular "sex vacation" barb she made about two certain suspended coppers stung him like a betrayal, which not only hurt but frustrated him even more. She should not have that kind of power over him. Reprimanding her had been pointless. She just saluted, a mocking " _Yes sir_ " on her lips, before strolling out the room. The change in her behavior was so noticeable that Oliver had even pulled him aside and expressed amused pity that she had chosen him as her next chew toy.

Thankfully, that was their only interaction for the rest of the day. She spent the day patrolling with Diaz while he immersed himself in overdue paperwork...where he might have spent more time trying to figure out what Gail's deal was and less time doing any actual work. Wondering about things like what he did wrong. ( _Did he even do anything wrong?)_  Was she dropping him for someone else? ( _Why did he feel unbridled anger when he thought about another man touching her?)_ He had spent the entire day over-analyzing their relationship and was now confused about his feelings, real or imagined, about her.

Luke stops himself, not wanting to ride that roller coaster all over again. Especially when he's no closer to an answer than he was a couple hours ago. He decides he just needs to man up and go home. Hopefully get a good night's sleep under his belt before having to deal with the blonde enigma currently driving him nuts.

Closing all the open folders on his desk, Luke attaches his badge and gun to his belt. Grabbing his jacket and briefcase, he shuts off the lights and locks the door behind him. After saying good night to some members of the night shift, Luke walks out to the parking lot. The wintery air is refreshing, and with no Gail in sight, his mood begins to lift and he breathes a bit easier. But fate must have decided it was not done fucking with him yet because inside of his car, courtesy of the spare key she had stolen from him, is Gail. With feet propped up against the dashboard, she's singing along to the radio as if she had not been a total ice queen all day.

Luke hears the passenger side window roll down. "Move it Homicide." She yells out the open window when she notices him come to a stop. The hammering against his skull lets him know that his migraine has arrived.

So yeah, everything had been  _great_  before today.

* * *

**THE BLACK PENNY  
( **ALSO KNOWN AS LUKE'S OWN SPECIAL CIRCLE OF HELL)****  
\- 12:36 AM -  


* * *

  
___won't you let me kiss /_ _you're starving me of this / y_ _ _ __ou really have the flair /_ _ __to suffocate me there_ _   


* * *

This is the first time they've been to the Black Penny since they started whatever  _this_  was, and his anxiety levels are through the roof. They had previously avoided the Penny, opting for bars in nearby cities, hoping to keep themselves out of the rumor mill. Seconds after he entered his car though, Gail more or less ordered him here. He'd like to say he put his foot down and ordered her out of his car but he didn't. Instead he sighed, put on his seat belt and drove out of the parking lot...following her lead like he always did.

Now here they sit across from each other in an agonizing silence. He only bothers to speak when the waitress comes by to take their order, a service reserved only for the collection of booths they are a part of. Luke can feel Gail's growing annoyance with his silence and knows it's only a matter of time before she does something to shock him out of it. Two minutes later he's proved right when he feels her bare foot slide up his leg.

"Can you not do that?" Luke fiercely whispers, looking around the bar in a panic. Gail laughs a bit too loudly, making him wonder if she wants people to notice them.

"Can I not do  _what_?" Gail says from around her straw with an innocent look on her face. She then smiles coyly, happily sipping the rest of her shockingly bright drink. Luke notices this is her second drink within five minutes and knows this night is going to end in either yelling or tears, and honestly, he doesn't know which terrifies him more. Happy to say that they've never needed liquid courage during their moments together, there was only one time he's ever come across an inebriated Peck...and he'd rather not have a repeat of that night. It was a sobering moment when she had become more than just a warm body to him. So considering his own emotional climate, seeing more of _that_  Gail, the vulnerable and sweet woman she tries so hard to hide, would not help him right now.

Breaking through his thoughts, Gail's foot continues its journey upwards, causing Luke to jolt forward, beer sloshing over the rim of his cup. "Cut it  _out_  Peck." This time his voice is more of a restrained yell than a fierce whisper as he mops up the mess, his eyes darting around chaotically.

Gail raises an eyebrow. "So _formal_. I thought we were past last names. You know, considering we've already hugged without shirts on." She bites her straw suggestively but Luke refuses to let her distract him.

"And I thought we were gonna keep  _this_  a secret." He snaps back, unable to hold in his frustration. Gail laughs again and he can see a couple confused looks thrown his way. One of those looks belonging to Epstein.

_Great_.

" _Du-u-ude,_ chill out." The way she drags out  _dude_  tells him she's quickly heading into frat boy territory.

"We work with a lot of people in this bar. People who have been staring at us all night." Luke hopes that the reminder of being in public would snap her out of this mood she's in, but all she does is shrug. He can see the cherry red beverage travel up the straw and into her mouth, imagines it staining her tongue. He briefly wonders what the inside of her mouth tastes like. The thought causes the inside of his own mouth to dry up. Luke takes a big gulp of his own drink.

"You worried about your reputation Homicide?" Gail's teasing voice cuts through the sudden and unwanted haze of desire filling him.

"Hardly." He says truthfully, a weary edge to the short chuckle that follows. Luke had to stop caring what other people thought of him in the name of self-preservation. He had enough guilt and shame of his own to deal with without adding to it.

"So what's the problem?" She asks, the straw still attached to her lips.

The Luke he is now, the dick who cheated on his fiancé, feels like he deserves to be played with, treated like merely her sex toy. As odd as it might seem, the thought of this being some sort of masochistic form of self-punishment would have been heartily welcomed. But deep down he knows there is another reason why he's hesitant to voice any complaints...a  _much_  bigger reason.

With Jo and Andy, he always felt like he was filling some kind of void in their lives; a void left by their irresponsible parents and a string of ill-matched lovers.

Gail is different.

Unlike the women in his past, he feels like Gail doesn't need him. Actually he  _knows_  she doesn't need him, that if it ever came down to it, she could easily walk away from him as if nothing had happened. He's terrified that at the end of all this, he's going to realize just how much he's come to rely on her. After a whole day with nothing but Gail on the brain, he's been able to see just how careless he's been these past three months. Since he believed their relationship was solely based on sex and would eventually fizzle out, he never thought to throw up walls around his heart. The same walls he created after his mother abandoned him for a crack pipe; walls that were reinforced with steel when Jo chose a promotion over him. Andy, while he did love her, was always safe and only managed to put a dent in his pride, not his heart.

Whether she meant to or not, Gail soothed the void  _in him_. With the exception of today, she always managed to keep his mood light and his spirits high. With just a teasing comment or flick of her tongue against his lips, she always managed to wipe his mind clear of all thoughts and worries. Gail made him feel like he would never need those walls again...and that scared the shit out of him.

Having no idea how to even begin answering her question, he tries another tactic.

"Diaz is  _right_  over there." He nods towards her ex.

"So? If you have a point  _Luke_ ," she says his name playfully, "make it."

At this point, the foot which started this particular conversation continues its path up his leg. Luke sucks in a breath, trying to keep a straight face, as if her touching him so intimately isn't affecting him at all. Trying like hell to freeze her out like she had frozen him out. Part of him wants to just leave because she is being purposely irritating, wanting to get a rise out of him for fun. The rest of him, the part slowly winning with each new beer, wants to pull her into his lap and wipe that smirk off her face with a few moves of his own. Beat her at her own game and all that.

Her foot is at his thigh now. He holds his breath, both excited and wary of what she is going to do next.

Gail suddenly removes her foot and he feels let down, his leg still smoldering where she last touched him. Before he can berate himself for feeling slightly disappointed, he feels something a bit higher. When he looks down at his lap, he sees her bare foot hovering over his crotch, giving the occasional brush over so that he knows it's there.

"You wouldn't." He challenges, both dreading and hoping she would.

A perfectly groomed eyebrow arches. "Homicide, is that a  _dare_?"

"It's a fact. The last thing you want is for anyone to find out about our  _extracurricular activities._ "

"What if I don't care anymore?" She applies the smallest amount of pressure downward. A smile of satisfaction graces her lips as he squirms. He watches her take one last glance around the room, noticing how her gaze lingers on one person in particular. A small part of him wonders if she's doing this just to mess with Diaz, that none of this has ever been about him...and he's surprised to feel that small part of him flare up with jealousy. When Gail's eyes lock back onto his, the jealously suddenly disappears because he knows what's going to happen next, no ' _Celeste: The All-Night Psychic'_  needed.

He's going to learn what the inside of her mouth tastes like.

In no time at all, she's sliding across the circular booth and cradling his face in her hands. It's so quiet, either he's gone deaf or every person in the bar has stopped talking. Luke thinks he can hear her heart beat if he strains hard enough. The combination of alcohol in his blood and her breath against his lips has him feeling dizzy, his eyelids already starting to lower. Gail peers up at him, her own eyelids appearing as heavy as his own. She runs her thumb across his bottom lip and his mouth opens involuntarily with her touch. The urge to draw her thumb into his mouth is powerful but he holds back. He's not going to give in so easily.

Despite the fact their cover is already blown by her very public display of affection, he still feels the need to say it.

"You're gonna regret this tomorrow." He warns in a whisper across her lips, still unsure as to what he wants himself.

"I'm not the kind of girl that regrets doing anything." She whispers back. Then in front of all their coworkers and friends, she kisses him.

At first their lips press together uncomfortably, both still getting used to the feel of the other and the stress of a million eyes on them. Honestly, it's a really terrible kiss. Too sloppy and wet, too drunk, and he's almost relieved by the loss of connection between them. Maybe now he can get on with the rest of his life.

But then something shifts.

Either by accident or on purpose, Gail bites his lip. Hard. The taste of blood in his mouth and the frustration with her constant dominance finally gets to him. His hands move up her back and he roughly pulls her against him, the move is unexpected and she gasps a little into his mouth, her breath hot and fruity. Her breasts are pressing against his chest and he can feel her arousal through the thin fabric of their clothing. He can feel his pants tighten as his own arousal makes itself known. Noticing it for herself, Gail frees her right hand and begins to rub the growing mound. Slightly pulling back, he flicks his tongue against her upper lip before reclaiming them in a breath stealing kiss. Her entire body suddenly sags against his, the soft curves an alluring contrast to his sharp angles.

The memories of her body moving against his, of his body filling hers, explode in his mind and he suddenly doesn't care about anything. He doesn't care about winning. He doesn't care that he's not supposed to care about the blonde in his arms. The only thing he cares about is disappearing inside of her. Whether he means physically or metaphorically, or maybe even both, he really can't say.

Luke feels Gail's arms suddenly wrapping around his neck, pulling him closer. His left hand slides up the back of her neck and into her hair, his fingers tangling with the rebellious strands that have escaped her ponytail. Feeling the moan before he hears it, inhaling just as she exhales. He gently coaxes her mouth open with his tongue and she complies, their tongues twisting and tangling together in an already perfected harmony. He can feel her heart beat against his chest, the rapid pounding identical to his own.

The kiss itself is actually quite quick, seconds at most, but it feels like everything has changed. He pulls back and is almost afraid of opening his eyes, this kiss being more intimate than any kiss they've ever shared. The kind of kiss that makes him feel foolish for even trying to explain what Gail means to him. The center of his chest starts to feel slightly hollow. It isn't the first time he's felt this particular sensation, the feeling that you've just lost a piece of yourself to someone else, but it's the first time he's felt it with her. Alarm bells ring in his head.  _This_  is not supposed to be  _that_. He is not supposed to be feeling those kinds of feelings for  _Gail_. He worries that right as he's thinking it, it's already sinking it's claws into him, the kiss branding it onto his soul.

Forcing his eyes open, he's a bit surprised to see Gail's eyes are still shut. Quite tightly in fact. There's an odd look on her face, the word  _bliss_  comes to mind. He worries that she's going to open her eyes, know exactly what he's feeling and laugh.

But most of all, he's terrified of her  _not_  laughing and what that would mean for them.

Gail's eyes finally open and his pulse picks up. She doesn't look at all like herself. No cocky smirks or flippant remarks ready on her tongue. Her pupils are blown wide and a blush is starting to creep up her neck, threatening to color her pale cheeks. The only thing remotely familiar about her is that he can see his own feelings reflecting in her eyes.

"Shit." She whispers as she looks down at his lips, the comment echoing his own thoughts.

The bubble of silence that surrounded them the moment their lips met suddenly burst. The noisy bustle of the bar reminding them of where they are. Luke can feel the stares of many eyes on them but he keeps his own eyes trained on her rarely unmasked blue ones. Honestly, it's not that hard to make himself focus on her like she's the only person in the world. He's been at it all day.

Maybe it's a little cowardly, but he doesn't want to deal with reality just yet. Hoping just a tiny bit that this  _feeling_  is just a product of his mild obsession with her today and that they'll be back to their regularly scheduled programming tomorrow. Thankfully, Gail seems to have the same idea.

"My place or yours?" She asks, her fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. Gail's smile is unnervingly genuine with a touch of fondness. Luke realizes his voice has disappeared on him.

"Yours is closer right?" She asks again. He's almost embarrassed by how quickly and eagerly he nods his head but he can't find the will to care. He also doesn't seem bothered by the fact his voice is still nowhere to be found.

"Let's go then." She says, slightly pushing him out of the booth. Finally regaining some of his basic motor functions, Luke throws down a couple bills to pay for their drinks. Then grabbing their coats with one hand, her hand in the other, he pulls her out of the booth. The two blondes quickly leave the bar, their joined hands seen by all.

Luke was right after all.

The night  _was_  going to end with yelling...just not the angry kind.

* * *

**WOMEN'S LOCKER ROOM**  
(ALSO KNOWN AS THE PLACE A MEAN GREEN MONSTER WAS BORN)  
\- EARLIER THAT MORNING -  


* * *

_what you do to me / leave puddles at my feet / won't it make me ill / the way you make me feel_

* * *

"Good morning!" Traci calls out to the locker room's only other occupant.

With Noelle taking a personal day and Andy coming back in a few days, Traci took the rare opportunity to talk to her quasi-friend and find out how she's doing. She was a little worried because even though Chris dumped her, Traci noticed Gail was acting as if nothing happened, like everything was fine. Traci half expected Gail to be extremely mean and bitchy towards everyone and hide behind her perfected mean girl persona but no. Gail was nice and cordial, throwing out the occasional teasing remark that was always more playful than spiteful.

If Traci didn't know any better, she would have thought Gail was  _happy_.

"What's up?" Gail asks, hanging her jacket inside her locker.

"So I hear you're paired up with Chris today." She's trying for subtle but Gail's eye roll tells her she's failing miserably.

"If this is your lame attempt at girl talk, please stop." Gail's rudeness is strangely comforting. It makes Traci feel like things are normal.

"Okay, I'm stopping." Traci says with a laugh and weirdly enough, Gail joins in. Both women go back to putting their uniforms on.

"I guess you'll be glad when Andy comes back in a couple days then huh? You won't have to deal with my lame attempt at girl talk." Traci jokes a couple seconds later. She's prepared for a laugh, smile or even a teasing comment from Gail. So she's confused when she turns to look at Gail and realizes how tense she is. Standing in front of a mirror, lips pressing together in a thin line, Traci can see Gail having trouble with her tie.

"Gail...you okay?" She asks while tucking her shirt in. This is the reaction Traci had been expected when she brought up Chris. But why did Andy's name cause Gail to look like she's been assigned desk duty?

"You going to the Penny tonight?" Traci asks, trying to erase the weird vibe that's filling the room. Maybe Gail would feel more open after a couple drinks in her.

"Maybe." Gail answers, still looking extremely agitated.

"Need a ride?"

After a few moments of silent deliberation, Gail shakes her head as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "No, I've got one."

"Oh really? Who?" Traci asks, separating her hair into three sections for a french braid.

"Luke." Gail says it so easily that it almost sounded normal. Except it totally isn't.

" _Andy's_  Luke?" Traci couldn't hide the surprise in her voice even if she tried.

Gail scoffs while pulling on her weapons belt. "He's not  _Andy's_  anymore." Along with the harsh tone in her voice, Traci thinks she sees a small hint of jealously on Gail's face...but that's ridiculous.

"I didn't know you two were friends." Traci comments.

"Who said anything about friends? He's just giving me a ride." Gail slams her locker shut and takes one last glance in the mirror.

"Parade's in five minutes." She says with a nod in Traci's direction before leaving the room.

"Yeah, right behind you." Traci drawls out as she watches Gail saunter out, quickly following behind.

There was no way Traci could have known that this small conversation was going to have some big ramifications.

* * *

_bubbles in my fizzy love for you_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: 'Fizzy Love' by Catherine Wheel


End file.
